We traveled from coast to coast in February with our kids aged 3 and 7. We really debated adding Tortuguero National Park to our itinerary because it seemed like it would be the hardest part of our trip. I am so glad we made the decision to go, it was an amazing, surreal experience. I read a ton of reviews before our trip because I wanted to be sure it wouldn’t be too difficult for the kids. I realize now that most of the reviews must have been really old because they talked about parking your car in the field, and there were tons of comments about the safety of the parking lot, the boat ride, and whether or not it was worth the stress. Let me assure you that getting to Tortuguero was not at all stressful, and once you get to Tortuguero you won’t want to leave. It feels untouched, pure, and gives you a real feel of what paradise is like.
Getting to Tortuguero
There are three options to get to Tortuguero if you are not going with a tour operator. There are no roads in Tortuguero so the options is either to take a plane or a boat. If you choose the boat option you have two choices. You can take the public transit from San Jose which is not too bad, and cost $8 per person. You can find all the details on taking public transit here. It will take about 5 hours plus or minus time waiting for the bus and the boat. You can rent a car like we did and park it at the very well operated parking lot in Cariari. As you can see from the picture the parking lot is not a field in the middle of nowhere.
It is supervised, covered, and has 24 hour security. The $10 per night is well worth it and actually quite reasonable. Our trip was 3 hours in the car from San Jose and then a 1.5 boat ride. If you fly in from San Jose, it’s a 30 minute flight. If you are flying in, I would recommend taking the boat out as it gives you an opportunity to experience something like you’ve never experienced before. If you have little ones like we did, the boat ride is an adventure for them. Both of kids were very excited and loved the experience.
Tip: We took the public boat from Cariari to Tortuguero village because it was $3 per person and takes the exact same route as the private boats.
If you do decide to go with a tour operator I recommend Costa Rica Expeditions. They helped us out a lot with deciding what options were available to us so we could make the best decision for our family.
Where to Stay in Tortuguero
It really depends on the type of traveler that you are and whether or not you are travelling with kids whose stomachs may be a priority. We chose and highly recommend Tortuga Lodge and Gardens. Don’t let the name fool you, this is an amazing resort. It is #1 or 9 places to stay in the area, and has been featured in National Geographic Tours of a Lifetime.
Everything is done in a way that is soothing and pleasing to the eyes, and the soul. When you get into Tortuguero village you just have someone from the information centre contact the hotel and let them know you have arrived. When called we were told they can send a shuttle for you right away for $10 or they tell you when to expect the next shuttle. If you have the all inclusive package the shuttle is included for free. We chose the option of being picked up right away because it was a long trip and I was ready to put my feet up at the pool.
Everything about Tortuga Lodge and Gardens is done for your extreme comfort and relaxation. If you want to go into the trails they have boots for everyone in the whole family, they keep the boots, and walking sticks close to the entrance of the trails. There is a sink for you to wash your hands and feet after coming back from the trails. For kids, they have games, books, and activities at the lobby. The property itself offers bird watching guided walk in the gardens in the morning. There are quite a few trails where we saw a variety of wildlife including monkeys, snakes, and colourful frogs.
They have one main restaurant that offers a la carte or buffet options. The food is beyond delicious. There were lots of healthy options for everyone, and the serving sizes are quite large so we were fine to share some plates. The prices are reasonable for this type of property. You are looking at about $8 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, and $15-20 for dinner. If you will be having all your meals at the hotel then it makes sense to do the meal plan, if you are having some meals in the village like we did then go with the a la carte option.
If you do go into the village to eat, you must stop at Wild Ginger –YUM!
Things to do with Kids in Tortuguero
It depends on the age of your kids, ours are 3 and 7 so we opted not to do the full three hour boat ride, we just didn’t think they were up for it right now. We plan to go back when they are older and explore more. There are still a lot to do outside of the tour options listed, you can get a private guide and go out on your own with the guide to explore the waters. Our favourite was the hikes into the jungle, and visiting Tortuguero village. The village is fun for kids, and offers stunning sunset views. You can also go check out the beach, which is not for swimming (sharks, jellyfish, and strong current) but it is very nice to walk along. From June to October you can watch the turtles as they come to shore to lay their eggs.
Our three year old, who we were most worried about had a fantastic time at this property. We didn’t have to worry about cars since there are no cars in Tortuguero ,and he loved the freedom to walk around and explore.
We spent a lot of time at the pool because the kids were very happy to be in the salt water pool. We went mid week, as we didn’t get a package and had the place to ourselves for two days before a tour came in. I would recommend going midweek if possible because it adds to the tranquility of the place.
The grounds at this property is incredibly picturesque and we enjoyed walking the grounds, and taking part in the early morning activities provided by the resort.
We spoke to a few people who were there for their honeymoon, overall this place had equal amount of couples without kids, and couples with kids. Tortuga lodge found a way to make you feel like this place is just for couples if you are on your honeymoon or just for families if you are there for a family vacation. It was absolutely lovely and I cannot wait to go back.
